NSC honors Schneider Electric for safety and health efforts

The National Safety Council on October 26 presented Schneider Electric North America with its 2009 Robert W. Campbell Award at the opening session of the NSC’s 2009 Congress & Expo in Orlando, Fla.

Underwritten by Exxon Mobil Corporation, the Campbell Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate how integration of environmental, health and safety (EHS) management into business operations is a cornerstone of their corporate success.

“The Campbell Award honors organizations that demonstrate world-class operational safety practices,” National Safety Council president and CEO Janet Froetscher said. “The people at Schneider Electric North America have an inventive and dedicated approach to employee safety that creates a successful, profitable workplace. We are pleased to honor them with this award.”

Safety, health, environment and community are the pillars of the Schneider Electric business strategy. With an active commitment to helping individuals and organizations “make the most of their energy” and a focus on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, Schneider Electric’s14,000 employees in North America achieved sales of $3.6 billion in 2008. The organization aims for people to be safe, environmentally conscious, and healthy at work, home and play. It is a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, based in Paris, France, has sales of more than $25 billion and operations in more than 100 countries.

Schneider Electric North America impressed the Campbell Award’s international review panel with the company’s global foundation for safety and health practices that encourages local innovation to most effectively promote EHS. The company also was praised for a seamless integration of safety procedures and mindset that protects employees on and off the job.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” said Chris Curtis, CEO of Schneider Electric’s North American Operating Division. “The daily focus and diligence of our over 14,000 employees in North America has been truly inspiring and in some cases, life-saving. Six years ago, we committed to significant improvement in our safety programs. Today, we have one of the safest workforces in North America, and our commitment to the environment and keeping our employees and their families safe and healthy at work and home has become part of our DNA.”

Campbell Award winners undergo rigorous assessments that include site visits and comprehensive evaluations of their commitment to, and implementation of, EHS practices. Award winners work with an international partnership of 21 organizations to develop case studies that illustrate their superior EHS programs and best practices, for use by top business and engineering schools worldwide.

Named for Robert W. Campbell, a safety pioneer and the first president of the National Safety Council, the award (www.CampbellAward.org) recognizes organizations that achieve business excellence by integrating EHS management into their business operating systems. Past Campbell Award winners include Noble Corp., Johnson & Johnson, Alcan Inc., DynMcDermott Petroleum Operations, the Bahrain Petroleum Company, Fluor Hanford and Gulf Petrochemicals Industry Company.

About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the company's 114,000 employees achieved sales of more than $25 billion in 2008, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations.